THE 90s BLOW-DRY IS BACK!

Layers, bangs and a big bouncy blow-dry is everyone’s obsession right now (we’re looking at you Sabrina Carpenter!) Here’s how to master the 90s look...

HOB

“TO PROMOTE THIS LOOK, CREATE A SIGNATURE ‘90S BLOW-DRY EXPERIENCE’ THAT INCLUDES STYLING AND RETAIL RECOMMENDATIONS AND PAIR THE SERVICE WITH A CURATED PRODUCT BUNDLE SO CLIENTS CAN RECREATE THE LOOK AT HOME.”

STEP BY STEP

1 CLEANSE AND PREP: Wash with a lightweight, volumising shampoo and conditioner – avoid anything too heavy. Towel dry and add a volumising mousse for added control and softness.

2 ROUGH DRY FOR LIFT: Flip the hair upside down and use the KASHO Intense Dryer on medium heat to rough-dry until about 80% dry.

3 BLOW-DRY: Use a large round brush to lift sections up and away from the scalp, directing heat towards the roots for added height. Finish with a cool shot to lock in shape.

4 ROLL AND SET: Wrap sections around Velcro rollers or pin-curl while still warm. Let them cool completely before releasing to maximise bounce and movement.

5 FINISHING TOUCHES: Shake out the curls using fingers or a wide-tooth comb for that ‘just blown-out’ movement. A light mist of texturising spray or a flexible hold hairspray helps keep everything in place.

Tania Betsy, Creative Salon Director, The Hair Movement, Sidcup

“SHARE STYLING HACKS AND HOW TO'S ON SOCIALS TO GET CLIENTS INTO THE SALON – YOU COULD EVEN DO A VIDEO ON HOW TO GET STRAIGHT HAIR TO HOLD!”

STRAIGHT TALKING

It comes as no surprise that when creating a blow-dry look on clients with straight hair, prep is key. “Start with a volumising base,” says Victoria Panting. “I recommend washing the hair using the Paul Mitchell Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner to plump up the hair, then the Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Spray to add body and grip without weighing the hair down.” Meanwhile, Rachel Valentine adds: “You need a really good setting spray, and a good mousse in the roots such as the L’Oréal Professionnel Paris TECNI Art Volume Lift. You can then blow-dry the hair to get the volume at the root first and use the L’Oréal Professionnel Paris SteamPod to create movement and bend.”

GO LIGHT WITH YOUR HAIRDRYER

Lightweight, powerful and low on noise, the Head Jog Futaria brushless motor hairdryer ensures fast drying with three speed and temperature settings. Includes a cold shot button, easy to clean filter, two nozzles, a diffuser, and a 3m cable – available in colours Twilight, Black and Dusk at hairtools.co.uk.

“THE SIZE OF THE BRUSH YOU USE DEPENDS ON THE LENGTH OF THE HAIR. USING A MICRO CRIMPER ON THE ROOT IS A GREAT WAY OF ADDING EXTRA VOLUME AND LONGEVITY.”

TOP OF THE TOOLS!

“The ghd duet blow-dry is the perfect tool for anyone wanting to leave flat hair in the past,” says Sarah Dixon, ghd key account educator. “It allows you to dry and style the hair at the same time while providing 3x more volume for bouncy blow-dries, and with no heat damage.”

To nail the 90s look you want sleek, healthy bounce without losing precious volume, and KEEO prides itself on hair health. “The KEEO Genius protects the hair with every glide,” says Alfredo De Benedictis, founder of KEEO.

“The CLOUD NINE Airshot Pro’s lightweight design makes it ideal for juggling a brush, dryer, and clips,” says Marie Nieuwoudt, Group Education Manager at CLOUD NINE. “Its eco-precision motor allows for faster drying, and the variable temperature control ensures healthier heat styling. The cool shot feature is perfect for setting the curls in place and provides a short burst of cool air for a longer lasting bounce!”

The Dyson Supersonic r Professional hairdryer is Dyson’s lightest, smallest, and most precise styling tool enabled by power-dense technologies. The tool is 30% smaller, 20% lighter, and more manoeuvrable, delivering fast drying, smoother, frizz free and shinier results.

“EDUCATE CLIENTS THAT WITH THE RIGHT PRODUCTS AND TOUCH-UPS, A BLOW-DRY CAN LAST DAYS – PROMOTE BLOW-DRIES AS A LOW-MAINTENANCE LUXURY SERVICE.”

CHASE THE WAVE

Achieving a 90s blow-dry on wavy hair is all about enhancing that natural volume and movement. Emma Dixon tells us: “Smaller barrels create tighter curls, while larger ones give a soft bouncy wave.” Once the hair is dried and cooled, you can work on enhancing the shape. “Using the Diva Pro Styling Curling Tong, make sure your heat selection is suitable for the hair type and hold you want to achieve,” Emma adds. “Start at the front to control finer baby hairs. Keeping the clamp loose and the tong moving prevents creases, and cooling each curl in a barrel shape ensures long-lasting structure. After unclipping, gently brushing out the curls while tilting the head in different directions helps to blend and soften the shape.”

PRO TIPS: MODERN TWIST

The best of 90’s glam with a more wearable look…

1 Add more face framing, soft and feathery layers that enhance the bounce and flow.

2 Keep the ends straight or slightly flicked out for a fresh, loose, less structured feel.

3 Swap heavy serums for dry texturising sprays to keep it airy and cool.

4 Add a soft side part to give it that effortlessly voluminous vibe.

Peter Mellon, UK Style Ambassador for Alfa Italia

CURL CHECKLIST

Laura Elliott, Head Stylist and Educator at Neäl & Wølf shares the essential tools you’ll need to create the perfect 90s blowout on curly hair:

1 HAIRDRYER WITH DIFFUSER

Helps enhance natural curl texture while adding volume

2 ROUND BRUSH

Ideal for stretching curls, creating movement, and adding bounce

3 VELCRO / HEATED ROLLERS

Essential for achieving the 90s supermodel lift

4 CURLING IRON OR WAND

For refining and defining any curls that need extra shape

5 FLAT IRON WITH CURVED EDGES

Great for smoothing and adding subtle flicks to ends

TOP TIP

“Using the BaByliss PRO Falco Hairdryer on a hot setting, direct airflow all the way from roots to ends to prevent frizz while keeping tension in the brush. Always pull each section outward from the head to create maximum lift at the root.”

Paul Percival, BaByliss PRO Ambassador